Vazhaikkai PodiMethod:1. Heat 1 tsp of Oil in a kadai, Fry Channa dal, Urad dal, Coriander seeds, Pepper, Red Chilli & Tamarind,till brown and keep it aside.2. Peel the skin and Cut the Raw Banana into small, thin pieces. Fry these pieces in the same Oil till it shrinks,in medium flame and keep aside to allow it to cool.3. Add Salt and Hing to the Dal mixture and pound. Then add the Raw Banana pieces.4. Heat another spoon of Oil and season with Mustard and Curry leaves, Fry the pounded Raw Banana Powder for 2 minutes.

[] Serve this Podi with Hot Rice and have it along with melted Ghee. []

Method:1. In a Kadai heat 1/2 tsp of Ghee add Cloves and Cinnamon stick and washed Basmati Rice and fry for few minutes or till the water evaporates.2. Add 2 cups of Water and Salt (just enough for Rice) to the Rice and pressure cook.3. Cool the Rice, each grain should be separate.4. In a Kadai add remaining Ghee and season with Mustard, Cumin, Curry leaves and Green chillies.5. Now add Baby corns and fry for 2 minutes and add Grated Carrot and fry in a medium flame till water evaporates from the Carrot and add Salt.6. Mix Rice with fried Carrot mixture, Garnish with Coriander and Cashew serve Hot.

Method:1. Wash 2 to 3 times and soak Rice and Dal together with Dried Red Chillies for 4 hours.2. Grind coarsely along with Salt.3. Take one Onion and Grind it along with dal.4. Check for Salt and mix Curry and Coriander leaves.5. Add chopped Onion and check for thickness. If it is too thick add little water to dilute it.6. Heat Dosa pan, wipe it with little oil and pour one big ladle full of batter and spread in circular motion, make small hole in the middle of Adai and take one tsp of oil spread on the outer side and also on the middle.7. Cook in medium flame till done and cook the other side applying little more oil.! Serve hot. !

Notes:1. Never grind finely.2. To get crispier Adai, soak Dal and Rice separately.3. Grind Rice first then dal and mix them thoroughly.4. Adding crushed Cumin seeds or Fennel seeds will give more flavor to Adai.5. Omitting Rice, using Sooji (Rava ) will give crisp texture.

Method:1. Pressure cook Carrots. Cool it and grind into paste.2. Boil milk and keep aside.3. Heat 1/2 tsp of Ghee in kadai and fry Sago till it pops open.4. Boil the fried Sago with Water and Drain water completely and keep it aside.5. Take a heavy bottom vessel put Carrot paste and water.6. Boil this mixture for 5 minutes in medium flame, Add Milk and Cook for 10 minutes.7. Add Sugar, stirring continuously and cook for another 5 minutes.8. While boiling the Carrot puree, add Cloves.9. Garnish later with Elaichi powder, Saffron, fine pieces of Cashews and Badams.

Note:1.You can make this with low fat milk .2. This one is fat free. (whatever ghee we are using we are taking out).=> How was the CP Payasam? <=

Method:1. Grind the wheat and take extract. Grind again for 3 to 4 times.2. Strain well with muslin cloth or using a fine sieve and keep it aside for 4 hours.3. Discard the water from the top and measure the thick white extract (Wheat milk) and add lemon juice and keep it aside.4. Dissolve Sugar in water and make one string consistency. (for sugar syrup just enough water to cover sugar)5. Mean time boil water in a separate vessel.6. Add Wheat milk to the Sugar syrup and stir finely. It will harden, then add 1/2 cup of boiling waterand stir again. Follow the same process till finishing the water. (now the mixture looks glossy and fully cooked). Now goes the food colour and saffron.7. Gradually add Ghee and Stir well. (Cooking time about 15 to 20 min).8. Wheat milk, ghee, sugar syrup will all gather and will lump together and ghee will ooze out. Now goes the Elaichi powder and Cashew nut pieces.9. Set in a plate.

Note:-1. Why lemon juice in a Sweet? To avoid forming of Sugar crystals in the Sweet.2. If you use Granulated sugar the measure should be 2 Cups. If you use Fine Sugar, the measure you use must be 2 1/2 Cups.3. While making Sugar Syrup, add a teaspoon of milk to remove dust.

Saturday, May 13, 2006

Cabbage Porial

Cabbage Poriyal

Cabbage is an universal vegetable and available all around the year. Cabbage Poriyal is also served in every South Indian Set Meals in all Hotels through out the world.Lets go into the making of the Cabbage Poriyal.

Method:1. Heat oil in a Kadai Season with Mustard seeds, Curry leaves and Dry Red Chilli.2. Put Cabbage, Turmeric Powder mix well and keep close with lid for about 3 minutes.3. Remove lid, Add Salt and Cook till all the water evaporates.4. Add Pounded mix , Sugar and cook for 2 minutes.Cabbage Poriyal accompanies Sambar Rice, Rasam Rice very well.

Note:1. Always wash Cabbage before cutting.2. Add Salt when the Cabbage is half cooked, else the Poriyal will be soggy.3. No need to add water, by adding salt the water content from Cabbage will ooze out.

=> Instead of water use coconut milk to get rich Biryani.=> Add few strands of saffron diluted in warm milk during cooking.=> To enhance the real flavour of masala, keep the pressure cooker on the dosa pan and cook. ( Slow cooking - it would be like Dum Biryani.)

# Good to have with fenugreek Dosa, as a Bread spread etc. #Tips:1. Check Ridge Gourd Pieces before cooking for bitterness.2. Cut into pieces, with little skin remaining. It will give nice flavor.3. Can grind without adding Coriander and Curry leaves.4. No need to add water while grinding. Water from the guard pieces is enough for grinding.

Method:1. Blend ripe Tomato (discard green portion, if any), Tamarind, Salt.2. Strain to remove seeds and skins of Tomatoes.3. In strained Juice, add Chilli powder, Hing, Turmeric powder and check for salt.4.. Heat oil in a Kadai, season with Mustard seeds, Curry leaves and Dry Red Chillies.5. Fry Garlic for a minute and pour Tomato juice and mix well.6. Cook until it turns thick and Oil floats on top.7. Add Fenugreek powder, mix well and switch off.8. Cool it and store in a Clean, Dry container.

* Notes *=> Dry roast Fenugreek seeds till nice smell comes, Cool it and Powder it.=> Thakkali Thokku is Best to go with Idli, Chappathi, Dosa, Rice and even as a Bread spread.=> Can last for 10 or more Days, if refrigerated.

Method:1. In a vessel put Tamarind juice, Salt, Green Chilli, Hing, Turmeric powder, Jaggery, Stems of Coriander leaves, Curry leaves and bring into a boil.2. When the raw smell of tamarind goes add Cooked dal and the paste and cook for few minutes.3. Dilute it with water and Cook till foamy. (just enough, it should not boil for very long.)4. Season with Mustard and Cumin seeds.5. Garnish with Coriander leaves.* Best Combo for this Rasam - Rice and Papads. *

Tips:1. Always keep closed with a lid to retain the aroma of rasam.2. Grinding of paste should not be very fine. ( If it is very fine it is very difficult to get clear Rasam)3. Always cook Rasam in a narrow open utensil.4. To get different flavor, add 2 cloves while boiling tamarind water.

Friday, May 05, 2006

* Murukku made with Rice and Dal.* It looks spiky as it is made with Star nostle in the Murukku maker.Ingredients Needed:1. Rice flour (store bought can be used) Else Washed Rice, Dry and Powder it. - 3 Cups2. Dal flour 1 cup. (Fry one cup Channa dal and Moong dal on empty tawa till red, Cool and Powder it ) 1 cup3. Butter 2 tsp4. Sesame seeds 1/4 tsp5. Salt to taste6. Hing (optional)7. Oil to deep fry.Method:1. Sieve Rice and Dal flour together - 2 times.2. Add Salt, Butter and Sesame seeds and mix well.3. Take a small portion, Mix with water like Puri dough.4. Put some of this dough in the Murukku maker (Apply little Oil in the murukku maker beforehand) and make small size Murukku on a plastic sheet/paper.5. Deep fry these Murukkus till golden brown.6. Cool and store in air tight containers.

# Spicy Murukku is a favourite for all. #Tips:<> When more Butter is added, while making, Murukku will break. So add flour to compensate.<> If Butter is less, Murukku will be harder.<> Sieving is important to remove the air content.<> When Oil is clear and Murukku floats on top then we can know that Murukkus are fried properly.

Method:1. Soak Tamarind in water and take about 2 cups of its extract.2. Boil Tamarind water by adding Salt, Hing, Jaggery and Garlic.3. When Garlic is cooked and the raw smell of tamarind is off, add the grinded paste.4. Boil for 2 minutes and Dilute it with water of 1 to 1 1/2 cups.5. Cook the Rasam till foamy. Switch off and immediately close it with lid.6. Season with Mustard and Cumin Seeds and Garnish with Coriander andCurry Leaves.

#Serving Suggestion:- Have this Rasam and Rice with Paruppu Thuvaiyal.#

Vendhaya Manga ( Mango Bits Pickle)Mango Bits Pickle in Oil.Method:1. Mix salt with Raw Mango Pieces.2. On top of it put Red Chilli powder, Hing, Fenugreek Powder.3. Heat Oil, Season with Mustard seeds and pour over this and Mix well.Can be served immediately.Pickle can stay good for a weeks time, if its stored in a Refrigerator.

* Instant, Crunchy Mango Bits Pickle is good to have with Curd Rice. *